About Ryerson

Office of the President

This year, more than ever, Ryerson is on the move. Our students and faculty are achieving international acclaim for their work. Ryerson expertise is quoted in the news every day. We are adding new buildings and state-of-the-art facilities. Our researchers are gaining recognition and awards. We have exciting new programs, and the best community known for its creativity, diversity, and connection to what's happening in the world.

If you are new like me, thanks for choosing Ryerson. If you are returning, welcome back - and thanks for keeping Ryerson at the forefront of great programs and scholarship.

New beginnings encompass a host of possible priorities. But there is no question which is number one: student success. Helping students achieve their personal and professional goals is the motivation behind everything we do. My first month as President gives me confidence in our shared commitment - that everything in class, in the lab, in the studio, offices, and places where students gather, will put students first and make them proud of their Ryerson experience.

These are early days for me to share an agenda. But things are happening. Efforts to make our campus more attractive have begun, and will be ongoing. I am setting in motion the creation of a Master Plan for Ryerson, building upon the success of our recent building projects and involving the community and our City in a long term strategy for our capital development.

The physical plan will support the academic reality. Ryerson is already renowned for the quality of our faculty and students. I am pleased to have met outstanding new professors, and welcomed terrific new students at Orientation. I look for great things from all of you. Ryerson rests on what you do with the considerable talent you bring to us, and you make me proud to be here. You will find mentors and inspiration among the Ryerson students, faculty, and staff who will be your new colleagues and friends.

This year will see a continuation of growth in the development of more graduate programs. We will also be focusing on our capacity for scholarly and creative enquiry by undertaking a search for a Vice-President Research and Innovation. I would like to acknowledge the important role of the Deans, Directors and Chairs in building our strengths at all levels.

This year will also mark a turning point in the history of government funding. In response to the Rae Review, and a sense of national momentum on this issue, government is assigning top priority to supporting postsecondary education. Recognizing that we must be accountable for using these resources wisely, I will be launching a review this Fall to work with you on ensuring that decision-making happens at the level that best supports our academic priorities.

Most of all, I will be listening and learning. Thanks to my predecessor Claude Lajeunesse, I have been given the responsibility for a wonderful gift - a university founded on a proud history and a tradition of relevant learning, with soaring aspirations and a commitment to building in every sense of the word. It's going to be a great year.

Sheldon Levy
President